Awaiting Macbook Pro and Having Doubts!

[Kan-O-Z]

This is my first post. I just ordered a MBP SR 15" LED Matte with 160GB HD. I am really excited but I am having some doubts while I wait.

My first concern is that I am hearing rumors of a new trackpad technology coming out in October in the MBs and MBPs. It's the multi-touch technology on the iphone and allows the user to do a lot of similar hand gestures on the trackpad. I know the MB and MBP trackpad can currently scroll with 2 fingers. I don't know if this would be a hardware update if it were to come out or just software. I know my computer will be outdated no matter what I do but I would at least like to have the latest computer for 6 months to a year. I would hate a new addition like this just a month after I buy my computer.

Another concern is all the new software that is coming out. I don't know if a new iLife will be released with possibly new imacs on August 7th. Then there is the new Leopard in October. How hard will it be for me to upgrade these things. Coming from a windows machine, I know that upgrading them is not the same as a fresh clean pre-installed machine. On top of that it'll cost me additional money. I dont' know if they will give us some sort of discount or free upgrade especially if a new iLife came out during my 14 day return period. By the way I am expecting delivery 8/7 - 8/10.

I almost feel like I should wait until October and not even open my box and return it. At the same time, I want a mac now. We just went on travel and took 1700 pics! We want to do some cool stuff with them (share with family, friends, website, etc).

Let me know what you guys think. I am really excited to finally switch over. I have been wanting to for a while now

Kan-O-Z

 

[tmoney468]

I just got my first Mac last Christmas and I've been extremely pleased with it. I seriously doubt that there will be an upgrade to the trackpad by October, the only thing I've heard was a about a patent Apple filed which doesn't really mean it will be implemented, and soon at that.

As for Leopard and iLife, you'll most likely have to pay for it when it is released. Yes, it does suck but the price isn't that bad ($129) compared to Vista-type prices.

I have the same type of feelings about my current MBP, that I wish I could have 4GB of ram in it, but that's only available to the SR-based MBPs. You seemed to answer your own question when you said you really want to work with your photos and share them with family and friends. When Leopard comes out there will probably be bugs and such, so you probably won't be missing out on much until there is a more stable release. All in all, if you need the MBP now I say keep it, if you're still worried about Leopard and other things than just return it

 

[Azzurri15]

This is the same reason I'm waiting for October.

 

[mach]

I am waiting for October also, in hopes that there will be a minor hardware upgrade such as bigger/faster hard drives and maybe more RAM (I'm not expecting anything big like multi-touch... that will probably come Q1-2 2008 at the earliest...) and of course, Leopard, and iLife '08, as rumors now indicate it will be out by October.

 

[Much Ado]

There's always something new around the corner. Just enjoy your MBP today, especially considering all the kinks have been ironed out of it by now.

It's a great machine.

 

[Kan-O-Z]

I am waiting for October also, in hopes that there will be a minor hardware upgrade such as bigger/faster hard drives and maybe more RAM (I'm not expecting anything big like multi-touch... that will probably come Q1-2 2008 at the earliest...) and of course, Leopard, and iLife '08, as rumors now indicate it will be out by October.

Wasn't there already an update(fairly significant) to MBP in June? I am thinking there won't be any harddrive/cpu/ram update since this just happened. I don't know about the trackpad though.

Kan-O-Z

 

[CD3660]

There's always something new around the corner. Just enjoy your MBP today, especially considering all the kinks have been ironed out of it by now.

It's a great machine.

I couldn't agree more. Don't forget, the latest version is less than 2 months old.

 

[MaddieBrad]

You know....
If they do come out with some multi touch trackpad solutions... there will most likely be some 3rd party appz that allow you to use that functionality. When they Powerbooks came out with the two finger scrolling there was an app that was released that allowed you to use the two finger scrolling on older models. It worked on some, but not for others. Perhaps the same thing will happen for the 'multi touch' trend?

Heres the link for iscroll btw.

iscroll2

b

 

[Azzurri15]

I'm waiting on a Internal Blu Ray player and HDMI hook up. I need my High Def!

 

[lilnyc]

There's always something new around the corner. Just enjoy your MBP today, especially considering all the kinks have been ironed out of it by now.

It's a great machine.

Exactly. But in my case, I had a Windows desktop in March, '07. I swapped to Mac, but wasn't hip to all of the boards. I bought MBP with Intel Core Duo 1 and no dual layer DVD burner.

I do regret that because the new Core Duo 2s with dual layer burners came out shortly thereafter, and are major upgrades. To sell my current MBP, I have to push up the extras (Pro Care, Apple Care, customized upgrades, etc).

This time, if there's a MAJOR hardware upgrade, I'll sell the one I ordered today fast.

 

[thardy]

Also trying to decide buy now/wait

I can understand how you feel. I have been almost... ready to order the 17" Glossy wide screen Macbook Pro for the past month, I haven't yet pulled the trigger primarily because the 17" doesn't have the LED backlite screen(don't know if it will anytime soon) and would like to have a Blue-ray DVD and HDMI. Does anyone have any idea if any of these items are close at hand? I want to go ahead and order but....

Sever people have mentioned waiting till Oct. What is Significant about Oct, it that a scheduled upgrade or something? Any and all comments would be appreciated!

 

[Maui]

By the way I am expecting delivery 8/7 - 8/10.

So if it arrives on Aug 7, don't open it until after that day's announcement. If there is a MBP upgrade (which I highly doubt, given the still-recent June refresh), then return it and buy the new one. If your MBP arrives after Aug 7, you'll already know what was announced on the 7th and can make your decision.

As for waiting until October, I think it comes down to whether you need the computer. The time to buy a computer is when you need it, and "timing the market" can be difficult and frustrating. MR's Buyer's Guides are pretty good on this issue, I think, but, no matter what you buy and when you buy it, within months there will be something better out there. Moore's Law is hard on buyer's in that respect.

 

[Wronsky]

After reading some of the docs for the Linux drivers for the MBP's touch pad, I don't think the multi-touch has to be a hardware upgrade, it should be implementable in the software with the current hardware. I seriously doubt such an upgrade will just be in October (the patents IIRC were very recent), there is usually a significant lag time between patent and implementation.

Stop the wishful thinking, either you need your computer now and hence you should buy it now or you don't and hence you can wait and suffer with your old system. You're probably in a sweet spot atm you're next one will be right after the next upgrade (likely in January timeframe).

 

[solvs]

There won't be any new MBPs any time soon. Upgrading to Leopard will be easy and work fine with most things by then. iLife may be coming, and if it does on Tues you can probably pay a small fee to upgrade if you just bought your computer and it hasn't been delivered yet.

 

[robrose20]

I don't know about everyone else, but I am going to wait until 2030 for the next MPB, by then they will have 100 cores. Cool, huh?

 

[Penryn]

What is Significant about Oct, it that a scheduled upgrade or something?

This is when Apple plan to release the next version of their Mac OS, Leopard.
If you do wait you basically get Leopard free rather than buying your MBP now and then spending $129 to upgrade.
iLife and iWork 08 are also rumoured to be around at that time but nothings confirmed atm.

If I were you Id just go for it, they're unlikely to do any major hardware upgrades for a while and the software is cheap (relatively) and also is an easy upgrade.

 

[kurzz]

I don't know about everyone else, but I am going to wait until 2030 for the next MPB, by then they will have 100 cores. Cool, huh?

I always smile when I hear people will wait months for something better that is coming. Once you've waited and bought that new better "thing", 6 months later, aren't you still going to kick yourself for not having that better "thing"?

Buy what you really want or need now, enjoy it while you have it. Don't covet thy neighbor's toys!

 

[CalBoy]

I always smile when I hear people will wait months for something better that is coming. Once you've waited and bought that new better "thing", 6 months later, aren't you still going to kick yourself for not having that better "thing"?

Buy what you really want or need now, enjoy it while you have it. Don't covet thy neighbor's toys!

Agreed. Honestly, once you jump in, you really don't care what gets updated when because you're just so happy with what you have.

OP, if the current hardware fits your needs, then why bother waiting another six or seven months for...wait for it...wait for it... rumored hardware?

 

[squeeks]

and would like to have a Blue-ray DVD and HDMI. Does anyone have any idea if any of these items are close at hand? I want to go ahead and order but....

itll be a long time for bluray (the full size drives cost 600 bucks still, not to mention slot load...) and dont forget this is a very new technology so they still run very hot, when the first dvd burners came out they had built in fans...same as the current bluray burners

i dont think they will never put an HDMI port on it (heck it dosent even have svideo or composite out built in) if anything they will release a DVI to HDMI adapter, which i have already from another video card i bought, it works great, but its not built in, its a dongle